1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of production of ester alkoxylates. More particularly, it relates to compositions and processes for preparing ester alkoxylates having high levels of renewable carbons.
2. Background of the Art
The lubricants (engine and non-engine) and process fluids industries today are searching for materials that are biodegradable. Biodegradability means that the lubricants and process fluids (hereinafter “fluids”) degrade over a period of time, which may be measured by tests such as those promulgated by the Organization of Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), including OECD 301B and OECD 301F. Recently, interest has been increasing in fluids which are not only biodegradable, but also renewable. Renewable products contain, by definition, high levels of renewable carbons, and standards are being set to encourage increasingly greater levels of renewability. For example, the European Ecolabel now requires that hydraulic fluids must contain at least 50 percent by weight renewable carbons. Standards for determining levels of renewable carbons may be found in, for example, American Standards for Testing Materials (ASTM) D6866-08.
Researchers have attempted to meet requirements or recommendations for both biodegradability and renewability by including in their fluids formulations a variety of types of natural and synthesized oils. Unfortunately, many of these materials exhibit pour points that are too high to enable use in certain important applications. The pour point is the lowest temperature at which the fluid will flow, and pour points below 0 degrees Celsius (° C.), desirably below −10° C., more desirably below −15° C., and even below −25° C., are often necessary. These materials in many cases also suffer from poor thermo-oxidative stability at high temperatures (for example, above 90° C.), which may in some cases be due to the amount of unsaturation present in the acid fraction of their chemical structures. Desirable measurements of other properties, including but not limited to viscosity index, elastomer compatibility, lubricity, hydrolytic stability, and/or oil solubility, may also be difficult to achieve.
Thus, there is a need in the art for new compositions exhibiting improvements in some or all of the above properties, such that they are capable of performing acceptably in lubricant and a variety of other applications.